The sun rose over the mountains, painting the valley in shades of gold and amber. The birds were singing. The breeze was gentle. The world was peaceful.
But Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
He stood on the porch of the community center, watching the light spread across the buildings below. It had been two weeks since the integration of the twelve fragments. Two weeks of watching Alex adjust to the weight of carrying so many voices in his head. Two weeks of waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Because it always dropped. It always had. And he'd learned to trust his instincts over comfort, his gut over hope.
Below him, the community was stirring to life. People emerged from their cabins. Children ran through the square, their laughter echoing off the buildings. Th
